Weaving-fault marking pistol



Aug, 3,.1954 H. 'sPAHR' 7 I 2,685,235

WEAVING-FAULT MARKING PISTOL Filed Feb. 5, 19,51 s Sheets-Sheet 1 as 1112' I 15 INVENT OR Hu 5 1; Mr.

Httovnays.

Aug. 3, 1954 H, SPAHR 2,685,265

WEAVING-FAULT MARKING PISTOL Filed Feb. 5, l 95l INVENTOR-I lqf oYwat a,

' s Sheets-Sheet 2 I Aug. 3, 1954 I I FLSQPAHRY' 2,685,265 Q IWEAVING-IFAULT MARKING PISTOL Filed Feb. '5, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 5Patented Aug. 3, 1954 UNETED STATES TENT oFFics Claims priority,application Switzerland November 3, 1950 6 Claims.

When inspecting textile fabrics, it is customary to mark weaving faultsby manually passing a thread by means of a sewing needle (i. e. a needlehaving an eye) through the selvage at the point in question, andknotting such thread. Such marking operation is rendered still morecomplicated and time-consuming in that for each operation the checkingor inspection apparatus has to be stopped and restarted.

The primary object of my present invention is to provide a tool formarking faults in weaving, quickly and reliably without having tointerrupt the operation of the cloth inspection apparatus. Anotherobject is to provide such marking apparatus in a form adapted for otheruses, for example for mounting a piece of twine or thread on a hanginglabel.

The apparatus according to my present invention comprises a bracket forsupporting the selvage, a reciprocable operating needle, and areciprocable looper disposed substantially at right angles, to theneedle. The latter serves for engaging the marking thread which has beenput on the bracket at substantially right angles to said needle, and forpassing said thread through the selvage so as to form an open loop whichdepends from the selvage underside. The said loop by means of an erectoris tipped about the selvage and raised above the upper side thereof intothe path of the looper. The latter on reciprocating catches one leg ofsaid loop and draws the same through the upstanding loop for the purposeof closing the loop.

The thread thus is positively located on the selvage and its ends,therefore, do not have to be knotted.

Two forms of my present invention are shown by way of example in theaccompanying drawings in which- Fig. 1 is a section through the firstform of apparatus in the position of rest,

Fig, 2 is a similar section, but in the operating position,

Fig. 3 is a section through that portion of the apparatus whichcomprises the loop erector, the position of the latter being differentfrom that shown in Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a part top View of Fig. 3,

Fig. 5 shows a part side elevation of paratus,

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through Fig.

Fig. 7 shows a part vertical section on the line VII-VII of Fig. 6,

Fig. 8 is a view, in a greater scale, of the lower portion of theloop-forming needle,

the ap- Figs. 9-11 are schematical views for illustrating three methodsteps for producing the closed loop,

Fig. 12 shows the second form of the apparatus in section and in theposition of rest, looper being formed as tongs,

Fig. 13 is a horizontal section on the line XIII-XIII in Fig. 12,

Fig. 14 is a section similar to Fig. 13, in which the tongs, however,are open,

Fig. 15 shows a cross-section on the line XV-XV in Fig. 13, and

Figs. 16-18 depict schematically three method steps for producing theclosed loop.

The first form of apparatus (Figs. 1-11) comprises a fiat casing l whichhas a lower handle 2 at the rear end. Opposite to handle 2 is a movablehandle 3 which is pivoted on a cross-pin 4 rigidly secured to the casingl and has an extension 5. The said extension projects beyond the pin 4and at 6 is formed as internally toothed segment in casing i. The saidsegment is engaged by a pinion l which is secured to an axle pin 3mounted in casing I and forms a component of a free-motion means (notshown).

The segment 6 on its outside circumference forms a cam path 9 having acentral cam 10. On a pin H rigidly secured to casing I is pivoted a bellcrank I2 which near one end has a cross-pin i3 adapted to ride on thecam path 9. The other arm of bell crank I2 by pin-and-slot means l4, I5is coupled to a slidable member iii which is disposed in a verticalguideway I? provided on the inside of the front endwall of easing l. Aloopforming needle 18 is inserted from below in a longitudinal bore ofmember I6, which needle has an elongated recess 20 on the free endportion above the tip l9 (Fig. 8). The rear portion of recess 20 isformed to a nose 2|.

A presser 22 is disposed opposite the needle [8 and above a bracket 23affixed to casing I, which bracket serves as selvage support. Thepresser 22 and the bracket 23 are slotted for the passage of needle 18.A vertical leg of presser 22 is slidable in a guideway 24 and throughpin-and-slot means 25, 2 6 at its upper end is coupled to an arm 21. Theguide-way 24 partly is formed by a wall 2% which belongs to the casing Iand serves as lateral abutment for the selvage. The arm 27 is pivoted ona pin 29 affixed to casing I and coacts through a cross-pin 35 with acam 3| which is affixed to the axle pin 8 and has two circumferentialdepressions 32 and 33.

Two arms 34, 35 are pivoted on pins 36, 3'! and by means of cross-pins38, 39 ride on the periphcry of cam 3|. The arm 34 is connected to oneend of a slidable member All disposed in a horizontal guideway 41provided in casing i. A looper 42 is mounted on the other end of member45, the path of said looper lying at substantially right angles to thatof the loop-forming needle 18. The said casing wall 28 is slotted toallow the looper 42 to pass therethrough. Helical springs 43, 44attached at one end to the axle pin 8, serve for urging the arms 27, 34through their cross-pins 39, 38 into contact with cam 35, whilst thebell-crank 12 through its cross-pin i3 is urged into contact with earn 9by means of a third helical spring 45. Preferably rollers are pivoted onthe pins i3, 30 and 38.

The arm 35 is connected to a slidable horizontal member 46 which isguided in the lower portion of casing l. A helical spring Li? engagingthe member 48 causes the arm 35 to abut against the cam 3! through itscross-pin 39 on which preferably aroller is pivoted. The member (l6carries the erector 48 which is pivoted on a pin 49 below the bracket23. A leaf spring 59 urges the erector 48 upwardly. As shown in Figs. 1and 2, the free end. of erector 48 abuts against the underside ofbracket 23. An auxiliary arm 5| guided by pin and slot means 52, 53serves for moving a bell crank 54 (Figs. 5, '7) one arm of whichprojects into the casing l and which is secured by means of a screw 55to a bracket 56 amxed to the outside of casing i. That leg 55 of bracket56 which stands ofi casing i, constitutes a cutting blade, as does alsothe corresponding arm 54 of bell crank t l, whereby a pair of scissorsis formed.

To the said casing outside a bearing pin 5? is affixed on which ispivoted a detachable spool which supplies the required thread. Thelatter runs over a fixed guide pin Ell, between a pair of discs 6|acting as a brake, transversely through a passage 62 provided on thecasing above the bracket 23, via a second disc brake 63 disposed on thatcasing outside which is opposite to the said casing outside, the seconddisc brake applying a more pronounced braking action than the first. Thetaut thread 58 is inserted into the recess 20 of the loop-forming needlei8.

The apparatus described is used as follows:

The operator or inspector grips the two handies 2, 3 in one hand, themajor portion of the weight of the apparatus thus being situated nearthe operators hand, whereby the manipulation of the apparatus isfacilitated and the operators hand is less quickly fatigued than whensuch major weight portion was situated more in front of the apparatus.The selvage A (Figs. 16-18) of the cloth to be checked then is inserted,at the point to be marked, into the aperture 572 of the apparatus so asto rest on the bracket 23, the casing-wall 28 (Fig. 5) serving to checkthe relative position of the salvage with respect to the vertical needlel8 and the erector l8 opposite thereto. The handle 3 then is pulled upagainst the action of a spring 64 attached thereto, the swing of handle3 being limited by a stop (not shown).

As to-and-fro swing thus is imparted to bell crank 22 by the cam in onthe cam path 9 provided on the segmental rack 9, and the needle is thusis reciprocated. The needle 18 which by means of nose 2| engages thethread 59, pulling same oif supply roll 58, penetrates the se lvage A soas to form an open loop a which (Fig. 9) is situated on the salvageunderside.

During said movement of handle 3, the rack 6 via pinion I imparts half aclockwise revolution to cam 31, the presser 22 through the arm 2'; beingmoved at the very beginning of said. movement against the bracket 23 inorder to locate the selvage A between the bracket and presser, whereby afaultless operation of needle IB is made possible, the latter at oncereturning into the initial position. When the needle 18 is movingdownwardly, the auxiliary arm 51 also moves downwardly and rocks bellcrank 54 (Fig. '7) against the action of a torsion spring (not shown) sothat the thread end-portion engaged by the needle i8 is cut oil thesupply thread 59. During said half revolution of cam 31, the depression33 thereof moves within range of the cross-pin 39 whereby the slidablemember 46 through arm 35 is moved so that the erector 48 projectsthrough the slot provided in bracket 23 and swings upwardly in order totip the loop a of the thread 59 over the selvage A and to erect suchloop, as shown in Fig. 10.

After the needle i8 has returned to its initial position, grip 3 isreleased and swings back to its position of rest, being biased by spring84. The rotation imparted thereby to pinion 1 through segmental rack 6,remains ineffective by virtue of the free-motion means provided, 1. e.cam 3i is not rotated. The grip 3 then is swung a second time from itsposition of rest, the needle is being reciprocated again (butineffectively this time) and cam 31 being given another half revolutionso that it moves back to its initial position as shown in Fig. 1. Duringsuch latter rotation of earn 3!, the arm 34 is swung to and fro throughcross-pin 38, whereby the looper 42 is horizontally reciprocated via thesliding member ii}. In the forward stroke of such reciproeatingmovement, the looper 42 projects through the loop a which is disposed inits path of movement, and engages the leg 12 thereof by means of a hookprovided on looper 42. The said leg I) then is drawn through the loop aso as to close the thread loop. When cam 3i turns further, the slidingmember 46 at a given moment is restored to its initial position, wherebythe erector r it is swung back to the inoperative position. The

presser 22 also is restored to its position of rest, such restoringmovement being limited by the horizontal leg thereof striking againstthe lower edge of guideway 24. As soon as the movable grip 3 swings backto its position of rest, the tool again is in the position of rest,whereupon it be used anew in the manner described.

. It will be readily appreciated that the tool described may beconsiderably varied in detail. The looper 42 and the sliding member 46provided with the erector 48, for example, could be manually operable,for instance by means of a common operating handle.

Instead of pulling only one thread-loop leg through the loop a both looplegs could be pulled therethrough, as set forth in the second form ofinvention shown in Figs. 12-18, in which the looper is formed as tongs.

The second form of invention is suited for using a thread made of amaterial, e. g. plastic, of which the loop may be readily deformed orflattened by outside forces so that the opened tongs may passtherethrough.

in Figs. 12-18 of the second form of invention, parts and portions likeand similar to those of the first shown in Figs. l-ll are indicated bythe same reference characters.

As shown in Fig. 12, the presser 22 is secured to a bell crank ll! whichis pivoted on an axle pin 11 and has atone end a roller '13. The latteris biased by a spring 12 to ride on the periphery of the cam 35 throughwhich, on actuating the tool, the presser 22 is rocked downwardly andtemporarily held against the bracket 23. To the vertical leg 22a ofpresser 22 is afiixed a plate 14 comprising two horizontally oppositebearings 15 to each of which is pivoted an abutment 11 on a pin 16,which stop normally is held in a position of rest through a leaf spring18.

A shaft 19 is mounted in sliding member 40 which is actuable from cam 3I, and has a flat extension 19a to which the two tong-forming twoarmlevers 42a are pivoted on a pin 80. The nipper arms of said tongs facethe needle l8. The rearward arms of the tongs are interconnected by acoil spring BI and a resilient wire bow 82 whereby the tongs normallyare held in closed position so that they may be readily opened by aslight counterpressure on the rearward arms of the tongs. Each of thelatter arms has a lateral lug 83 adapted to cooperate with the twoabutments ll pivoted to the leg 22a of presser 22.

The mode of operation of the second form of tool is similar to the firstform. When using the tool, the loop-forming needle I8 is reciprocated asin the first form of invention. During the downward stroke, the needle[8 through nose 21 engages the thread 59 which previously has been laidready as required, said thread being derived from a supply spooldisposed on the tool and being guided through elements provided oncasing i. The needle l8, drawing oiT sufficient thread from the supplyspool, pierces the selvage A to form an open thread loop having a loop a(Fig. 16) depending from the selvage underside. Prior to such operation,the presser 22 has been moved toward the bracket 23 to locatethe selvageA therebetween so'as to allow the needle I 8 to faultlessly pierce theselvage A, whereupon the needle returns at once to its initial position.When the needle I8 is lowered, a pair of scissors is automaticallyactuated at a predetermined instant to sever the thread end portionengaged by the needle l8, from the supply thread 59. After the threadloop has been formed, the slidable member 46 is moved so that theerector 48 protrudes through the slot in bracket 23 and swings furtherupward to tip the thread loop a above the selvage A, as shown in Fig.17. The originally elongated loop a of the thread which, being made forexample of nylon or similar plastic, has a certain strength, thereby isflattened somewhat by the correspondingly formed erector 48, as shown inFig. 17.

The slidable member 40 then is reciprocated. During the forward strokeof member 40, the latter moves the closed tongs 42a (Fig. 13) throughthe loop a (Fig. 17). 85 of the tongs coact with the abutments 7'!presented thereto by the presser 22, the tong-arms 32a are opened (Fig.14). When, however, the lugs 83 have passed beyond the abutments i1 andto the rear of the two loop legs, the tongs 42a are closed under springaction. During the rearward stroke of the tongs, the two loop legs I)and c are taken along by the tongs 42a and passed through the loop a soas to close the loop. When, during such rearward stroke of the tongs,the lugs 83 engage the abutments ii, the latter are temporarily swungaside against the action of their springs 78 so that they remaininactive with respect to the tongs, i. e. the latter remain closed. At agiven moment, the slidable member 46 is moved back to its initialposition, the erector 48 being restored to its inactive position, andthe presser As soon as the lateral lugs.

22 also is swung back to its position of rest. After the tool is at restagain, it again may be put in operation in the manner described.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus disclosed herein also may beused for other operations besides marking weaving-faults in cloth, suchas for example to apply binding strings to flying labels.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A manually-operated apparatus for marking weaving faults in cloth bymeans of thread loops passed through the selvage when inspecting thecloth, comprising a casing having a selvagesupporting bracket integraltherewith, a needle movably guided in the casing, a looper disposedsubstantially at right angles to the needle, a thread supply spool andthread-tensioning means mounted on said casing, a thread-severing devicemounted on said casing, the needle being adapted to engage and drawthread from said spool, a presser movably guided in the casing, meansfor reciprocating the presser to temporarily locate the selvage on saidbracket below the needle, means for reciprocating the needle to piercethe selvage and form an open thread loop depending from the selvageunderside, means for actuating the thread-severing device in dependencyon said movement of the needle, a pivoted lever forming an erectorlocated below said needle on said casing adapted to bend the loopupwardly about the selvage and in line with the path of movement of thelooper, means for reciprocating the looper subsequently to thereciprocating movement of the needle, to pass through the upstandingloop hook portion and seize one leg thereof to pull same through saidloop on the rearward stroke to complete the marking operation.

2. An apparatus as set out in claim 1, in which the erector is pivotedto a slide member and disposed below the bracket, the latter beingapertured for the passage of the erector therethrough.

3. A manually-operated apparatus for marking weaving faults in cloth bymeans of thread loops passed through the selvage when inspecting thecloth, comprising a casing having a selvagesupporting bracket and afixed handle, a needle movably guided in the casing, a thread supplyspool and thread-tensioning means and a threadsevering device mounted onthe casing, the needle being adapted to engage and draw-oil thread fromthe spool, a presser movably guided in the casing, means forreciprocating the presser to temporarily locate the selvage on thebracket and below the needle, means for reciprocating the latter topierce the selvage to form an open thread p depending from the selvageunderside, means for actuating the thread-severing device in dependencyon the needle movement, a pair of tongs mounted on the casing forreciprocable movement substantially at right angles to the needle, meansfor opening and closing the tongs during their reciprocating movement, apivoted lever forming an erector located below said needle on saidcasing adapted to bend the loop upwardly about the selvage and in linewith the path of movement of the tongs, means for moving the erector inand out of its operative position, means for reciprocating the tongs topass same in closed state forwardly through the upstanding loop and openthe tongs to seize the two loop legs and close the tongs to pull saidlegs rearwardly through the loop to complete the marking operation, aspring-loaded actuating element pivoted to the casing in opposition tosaid fixed handle, and cam means for the timed actuation of the presser,needle, thread-severing device, erector and looper in that order, thesaid cam means being operated through said actuating element.

4. An apparatus as set out in claim 3, in which the tongs are mounted ona slide block and have lateral lugs, and spring-loaded abutments arepivoted to the presser to coact with said lugs to temporarily open thetongs against spring action on their forward stroke after having passedthrough the upstanding loop to seize the loop threads, the saidahutments during the return stroke of the tongs being temporarilydisplaced by the latters lugs so as not to bias the tongs which thusremain closed.

5. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, including a spring-loaded actuatingelement pivoted on the casing, said element comprising a segmental gearand a cam path having a central cam, a cam disc journaled on the casing,a pinion meshing said segmental gear and mounted for rotation with thecam disc in one direction only, a presser reciprocating means comprisinga spring-loaded arm pivoted to the casing and a follower on the arm forcoaction with the cam disc, a needle reciprocating means comprising aspring-loaded bell crank pivoted on the casing, one end of the bellcrank carrying a follower for coaction with the central cam and theother end being pivotally connected to the needle, means for actuatingthe thread-severing device comprising an arm pivoted to the bell crankfor actuation therewith, an erector actuating means comprising an armhaving a follower and pivoted at one end to the casing, and aspring-loaded slidable horizontal member pivoted to the other end of thearm, and'a looper actuating means comprising a spring-loaded arm havinga follower and being at one end pivoted to the casing and at the otherend to the looper, 0n the first efiective actuation of the said elementthe presser, the needle, the thread-severing device and the erectorbeing reciprocated in that order, whereupon the said element returns toits initial position while the cam disc remains in place, and on thesecond actuation of said element the looper being reciprocated throughthe cam disc, after which the apparatus is again in its initialposition.

6. Apparatus as claimed in claim 1, said needle having an upwardlyinclined recess along the shank thereof and adjacent to the tip thereof,said recess defining a downwardly extending shoulder along the upperedge of said recess providing a nose.

Volk Jan. 6, 1948

